After a huge spike in real estate and rental prices, many of us are opting for reduced spaces to maximize our budgets. But sacrificing square footage doesn't necessarily mean you have to sacrifice your style. Sure, fitting your entire life into a smaller home and curating the aesthetic of your dreams can sometimes pose a challenge, but that's what makes small space design so fun!
Not only does it help your space look and feel bigger, it's also so rewarding when you're finally finished and your home still feels uniquely you.
It doesn't matter whether you live in a studio apartment or you're downsizing, we've compiled a list of easy design ideas to maximize your space and help you get started on your own small space design journey!
1. Opt For Lighter Colours
While darker shades tend to absorb light, making rooms feel smaller. Lighter or neutral colours are reflective which can make a space feel open and airy. To optimize this optical illusion, opt for soft tones like whites, light grays, and soft blues. You can also paint your wall trim and moldings in a lighter colour than your walls to make your rooms feel even bigger.
Love colour? No problem. Accent walls and pops of colour integrated in your decor are great ways to incorporate your favourite hues into your small space design.
2. Prioritize Storage
Smaller homes typically don't have an abundance of storage areas -- but clutter is one of the easiest ways to make your space feel extremely small. So what do you do?
Choose furniture that doubles as a storage space. Think, a tv-stand that doubles as a bookshelf, a bed with built-in storage, storage cubes that can double as your coffee table, or a kitchen island with built-in sink that can also function as your dining table.
3. Elevate Curtains
When it comes to curtains, many people hang them right on the window-line, but did you know elevating your curtains can make your ceilings look higher and your windows look taller? We like to select rods that are wider than the width of our windows to make them look larger and then hang them as close to the ceiling as we can to maximize this effect.
4. Use Bigger Furniture
It may seem like a smaller space needs smaller furniture, but when it comes to maximizing your space -- sometimes bigger is better! Outfitting your home with just a few large-scale pieces instead of a lot of tiny furniture can actually make it feel grander. Choosing a minimalist style sofa and chairs with open arms and exposed legs that allow light to flow under the furniture can make the room appear airier while creating space behind them can make your room look wider.
We know how important it is to feel good in your home, so we hope these tips can help you curate the space you deserve. We'd love to see how your small space redesign turns out, so don't forget to tag us in all your Instagram pics @thechampagneseries.
Happy Decorating! xoxo